Flatiron



fame 12,1934. 7 SCHA'EFER 1,962,940

FLATIRON Filed May 13, 1951 INVENTOR Frank Ec/zae er ATTORNEYS Patented June 12, 1934 PATENT OFFICE FLATIRON Frank Schaefer, Kalamazoo, Mich.

Application May 13-, 1231, Serial No. 537,081

1 Claim.

The main object of my invention is to provide means for ironing efficiently.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for supplying steam directly to the ironing 5 surface. I

A still further object of my invention is to provide a flatiron having means therein for generating steam and supplying such steam directly to the material being ironed or pressed.

Objects relating to details and economies of my invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed out in the claim.

A structure which is a preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of an electric flatiron constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the flatiron shown in Fig. 1 having portions shown in cross section.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of the flatiron taken on line 3-3 of Figs. 1 and 2, and

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 partially broken away of another modification.

Referring to the drawing, numeral 1 indicates an electric fiatiron having a relatively heavy base 2, the bottom 3 of which constitutes a smoothin or ironing surface.

A water container 4 is mounted on the iron 1 between the brackets 5 which support the handle 6. The front part of the water container 4 is pro-' vided with an inlet connection 7 having a cap 8 mountedthereon. The cap 8 may be removed when it is desired to fill the'container 4 with a fresh supply of .water or for connecting the inlet connection 7 to a source of steam when that is available. v

The bottom of the water container 4 is also 40 provided with an outlet connection 9 which is connected by means of tubing 10 to a conduit 11 formed in the base 2 of the iron 1 as shown.

The outlet connection '7 is provided with a valve 12 for controlling the amount of water which flows from the water container 4 through the tubing the bore is preferably closed by a plug 15. The plug 15 may be removed when it is desired to clean or inspect the conduit 13.

The conduit 11 is similarly formed in the base by boring therethrough and the entrance end of 6,0 the bore is provided with a packing gland 16 for connecting the lower end of the tubing 10 to the conduit 11.

The conduits 11 and 13 and particularly the conduit. 11 form a generating chamber in the base 2 so that when water is slowly admitted through the tube 10 to the conduitll, the heat of the base 2 caused by the electric heating element 17 causes the water to be immediately transformed into steam which escapes through the small openings 70 14 onto the surface of the material being ironed or pressed. The end of the tube 4 preferably terminates in a small jet not shownso that water may be admitted to the steam generating conduit 11 in are arranged so-as to be angularly related to $5 the longitudinal axis of the base of the iron. With this arrangement, steam may be supplied to the surface of the material being pressed in an eflicient manner.

In the-past, it has been customary in using flatirons'in household and commercial establishments to dampen the material to be pressed or by applying a damp cloth over the material to avoid burning the fiber thereof and to obtain the desired smooth and finished surface.

With my invention, the necessary dampness for the pressing is supplied to the material from the flatiron surface itself, the steam being generated within the iron or by connecting the iron to a, suitable source of steam supply. Inasmuch as the openings or holes inthe base of the iron communicate with the ironing surface, the steam is forced directly onto the material being ironed and there is no escape of steam from the circumference of the iron into the atmosphere.

The base of the iron is preferably of noncorrosive metal such as iron-chromium and similar alloys which are now easily available.

The diagonal slots in the base of the iron, as best illustrated by Fig. 4 of the drawing, 110,

use

parting from the scope of my invention as expressed by my broader claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

A flatiron base having an ironing surface with a plurality of parallel diagonally arranged slots for delivering steam to said ironing surface, said slots being disposed in diagonal relation to the longitudinal axis of said base and in a transverse belt relative to the direction of forward travel of the iron. I

FRANK SCHAEFER. 

